


Late Night Call

by comfycozysweaters



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-27 04:30:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7603429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comfycozysweaters/pseuds/comfycozysweaters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>War leaves scars on even the freshest of faces.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Late Night Call

**Author's Note:**

> Just a celebrity crew drabble.

The time on the hotel radio read 01:20AM when Aleksandra's phone woke her up. Intent on sleeping through whatever fool decided to call at such an absurd time, she turned and shoved her head under the pillow, effectively blocking out the vibration.

Unfortunately she had forgotten about her bed mate who, despite his late hours and the sleeping pills he popped like candy every night to fall blissfully asleep, was not only a light sleeper, but also incredibly whiney when he was disturbed.

"Zeeeeeee," He dragged out his nickname for her with an impatient drawl, "Z you're phone's going off." There was a half hearted nudge to her arm that she ignored in hopes of the other giving up. The phone stopped and she relaxed, knowing Lucio would drop back into slumber without a second thought.

Until the phone started up again.

"Chyort." So much for that.

Already Lucio was sitting up and reaching over her to grab the ear piece and blearily answer. "Hello?" There was silence as Aleksandra similarly sat up and searched the sheets for her shirt. "Oh yeah, hold up, girl. She's right here." Ah. That could only mean one person was calling, for one reason, and it was never good. The sleep was gone from Lucio's eyes and he looked incredibly childish nervously biting his lip, clearly uncomfortable already. "No no you're fine. We were already up." The discomfort was gone just as quickly as he snorted at whatever quip the person on the other line supplied. "Yeah totally. Rocking and rolling all night long. Pile of condoms a mile high. You know how we do, baby."

Aleksandra rolled her eyes as she shoved on her sweat pants and threw Lucio's his. He caught them, throwing her the Brazilian screw you in response. "Whatever, Song. Here she is." He handed her the phone and struggled into his own pants, shuffling off to the bathroom with grumblings of needing to piss.

Aleksandra politely left for the living room of the suite before answering.

"Zaryanova speaking."

"Hey Zarya. Sorry for waking you." Just as suspected, Hana Song was on the other line, talking uncharacteristically soft as if her normal brash behavior would startle her friend away. Aleksandra quietly thanked whatever tech genius had ingrained real time translation technology into modern communications because she knew how difficult this phone call had been to make for the other and couldn't imagine getting up the nerve herself if she were forced to speak outside of her native language.

She made sure the door was firmly shut before flipping the tv on, turning to sports news with the volume low. She busied herself in the kitchenette by bringing out the coffee maker and getting a pot started. "Is no problem, Hana." She grabbed a bottled water from the fridge and took a quick sip. "What is wrong?"

Usually Hana didn't call her cell, preferring web browsers and chat programs to phones, but when she was stuck in bed, back glued to the wall and blankets tucked tight around her, there was no helping it. The panic and paranoia Aleksandra knew all too well gripped her and made her terrified to move, to breathe. She knew the only reason the 19-year-old had made it this far was that both herself and Lucio had implored her to keep her phone close at hand, under her pillow if need be.

It was heart breaking to think about.

"It's so quiet, I couldn't sleep." Insomnia then. Better than when she woke from a dream, but no easier to deal with. She hesitated before speaking again.

"Hana, it's alright. You do not need to hide these things from me." It was practically a script after how many similar phone calls they'd had and still the girl always held back, afraid of scaring off her friend. She was known to the world as fearless, showing that she wasn't felt like cheating. Lying. Breaking. It didn't help that the first time she'd called, it had been Lucio rather than Zarya that had been there for her. As great a friend as Lucio was, he was shit at war. Even as a revolutionary, he'd seen an uprising, not a battle field, and the difference was never more evident than when he was forced to confront D. Va or even Zarya's reality. He was soft, cared and empathized too easily. The loss of lives, the violence the girls witnessed and took part in, it was too much for him.

That first phone call hadn't been a disaster, for all his faults, the DJ was good at comforting and handling people, but afterwards he spiraled, stuck in a loop of self loathing and distraction. Was he doing enough? Really truly all that he could? Hana was leading forces into battle protecting her home while he was making music and calling it "inspirational" from the safety of his studio. She had to watch as her teammates were killed off while he toured the world, throwing concerts and parties and preaching about love and equality. He was a glorified spokesperson while she was a soldier, actually working to make the world a better place.

Never mind that he single handedly led his home to revolution against a corrupt power, that he saved millions by running them out. That even as he toured and talked and danced and schmoozed, he still took to the streets with his "repurposed" equipment and stood up for those who couldn't stand up for themselves. Forget that he'd figured out how to imbue his music with properties that when listened to not only inspired but physically healed those who needed it.

Not to mention the numerous times he'd stopped in to aid Aleksandra and saved her ass with a speed boost while buffing their opponents away to give the RDF a chance to breathe.

That first phone call was the reason he'd introduced Aleksandra and Hana.

"She needs a good role model, Z. Someone who's seen the same kind of shit and who can help her through it. I'm just a DJ."

Zarya had snorted at that. Just a DJ her ass. Still she'd reached out. They'd started talking regularly in group chats with Lucio, hanging out on video feeds, playing MMOs when they had the time to, and eventually they'd traded cell numbers which led to Aleksandra becoming the confidant the girl desperately needed.

19 and already a soldier in combat.

"I hate leaving the MEKA." Her voice was sharp, clearly a pout even with the haunted quality to it. "It's always so quiet on the field without the thrum of the engine surrounding me or the creak of the gears and whirr of the fans. I can hear everything so clearly. Almost makes my ears ring." Aleksandra was familiar with the feeling. The cacophony of battle seemed unbearably loud after leaving the noise of the RDF Walkers. "I can still here Kim's screaming even now." There was a hitch in her voice. "His MEKA's eject malfunctioned and he couldn't get out. At the time it happened so fast I didn't even pause to think on it, but now I can't stop."

Aleksandra listened to Hana talk through one cup of coffee and a program or two. She was attentive and gentle, eventually drawing the conversation from the war to other things less volatile. She distracted her and finally let her off the hook when she'd been assured the girl would put on a Let's Play or show to fall asleep to.

By the time she returned to the room, it was 0413. She had to be up in two hours for her morning run and then training right after. Luckily her unit wouldn't be deployed until later that month so her schedule was light enough to accommodate a power nap between training and accompanying Lucio as his "personal body guard" to the show he was having in the city. Really it was his way of forcing her to hang out with him during her down time while he was touring Russia. The brat missed the days before she'd put her career on the back burner and joined the war effort so she indulged him.

Speaking of, Lucio was sitting up in the bed, shirt on and dreads half up. His glasses reflected the glow of his tablet and his fingers tapped rapidly across the holo keyboard. He looked up to flash a grateful smile at Aleksandra, setting his tablet aside in favor of the hot cup of coffee she'd brought him. "Thanks." He scooted over to make room for her as she plopped down and made herself comfortable against the mountain of pillows. "How's Hana?"

"She's fine. Couldn't sleep."

He nodded, quietly looking into his coffee. The guilt practically radiated off of him and Zarya rolled her eyes before flinging an arm around his shoulders and tugging him close. Lucio practically melted into her side. "Sorry, Z. I was her friend before you and I should be able to be there for her, but I just..." He bit his cheek and she kissed his temple.

"It is fine, Lucio. She appreciates just having you as a friend." She smiled and he seemed to relax. "You are good friend. I am not so good at the games and I do not know these series she likes. Together we make functional friend for Hana."

He smiled and if Aleksandra were anyone else, her heart would flutter at the sight. Lucio was undeniably pretty, gorgeous even, with his high cheek bones and smooth skin. He oozed charisma and charm out of every pore and his eyes had a certain liveliness to them that electrified any who looked too long. Truly he was a magnificent man.

Far too pretty for her taste though. Delicate and small next to her. Teeny pretty man as she'd referred to him when they first met.

Still he felt nice in her arms. Solid. Warm. He was her best friend and she, his. Without his support, his ever glowing light, she doubted she'd be as strong as she was when defending her unit.

Aleksandra rested her head against his and let the sound of Lucio's returned tapping lull her back to sleep.


End file.
